She wrote the song last year.The words are about how she tried to change the world in some way back in'89 when she released rhythm nation. She considers herself naive for thinking that people can change.She means that "she" should have known better..There was a song on the Rhythm nation album about the gunman who opened fire on asian children at a public school. That was in 89 and things like this still happen...so maybe she is referring to that as well.